Ground anchor

ABSTRACT

A ground anchor having a basic part in the form of a one-piece rodlike element of steel or the like including a groundpenetrating helix and a leg extending from the top of the helix and terminating in an area-increasing, ground-engaging base from which post-supporting means rises.

United States Patent Frye 1451 Jan. 25, 1972 [5 1 GROUND ANCHOR 763,594 6/1904 Chubb ..248/87 1,390,389 9/1921 R0senfeld..... [72] Invent Frye Davenpm 1,130,089 3/1915 Krolikowski ..52/l65 907,799 12/1908 Hawley [22] Filed: Feb. 25, 1970 2,347,443 4/1944 Vesely 48/156 [211 App! 14l05 Primary Examiner-Frank L. Abbott 1 Assistant ExaminerRobert A. Schwartz 521 US. Cl ..s2/1s7, 52/38 Attorney-Harold Knuth [51 Int. Cl ..E02d 5/80 58 Field of Search ..52/155,157,15s, 159, 165, 1 ABSTRACT 52/705; 248/46, 302, 39, 42, 4 21 1/59 A ground anchor having a basic part in the form ofa one-piece 56 f rodlike element of steel or the like including a ground- 1 Re erences C'ted penetrating helix and a leg extending from the top of the helix UNITED STATES PATENTS and terminating in an area-increasing, ground-engaging base from which post-supporting means rises. 3,328,928 7/1967 Frye ..52/157 Westover ..'....52/548 1 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures P AT E NTEB m2 5 m2 FIG.

INVENTOR. NORMAN V FRYE PEG. 5

GROUND ANCHOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention, as well as its predecessors, finds particular utility in the supporting of poles in the fields of sports in such outdoor games as badminton, volley ball and the like and in other areas where temporary boundaries, nets, ropes, etc., are employed. The prior art in these areas is represented mainly by such patents as those to Frye; e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,086, 532, 3,197,928 and 3,328,928. In this art, it is shown that it is known to provide a ground anchor having a groundpenetrating part, an extension from the top of the part and a generally upright post-receiving element. Although the prior structures have proven generally satisfactory, there remains room for improvement to overcome such problems as economy in construction and packaging, ease in use and maintenance, and ability to stand up in the face of wear and tear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Because, in the areas noted above, the supports are temporary and involve the use of grounds normally used for other purposes, it is important that the anchor be easily screwed into and out of the ground without materially injuring the ground, especially in the case of lawns. At the same time, the anchor should be capable of yielding to substantial forces, as where a participant lunges into the net as in a volleyball game. Also to be considered is the provision of an anchor that may be easily packaged.

According to the present invention, the above considerations are accommodated because the anchor may be easily screwed into and out of the ground, it possesses he desired resiliency, it is relatively inexpensive and its use does not injure the ground to any appreciable extent. To achieve this, the anchor includes such improvements as a special angular relationship between the above-ground leg and the groundpenetrating helix, an improved base on the leg which improves the ground-engaging area of the leg remote from the helix and which also increases the resiliency of the leg, and improved post-supporting means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an elevation of the basic improvement.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the structure shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in section showing one use of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, illustrating a modification of the above structure.

FIG. 5 is a similar view showing a further modification.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The basic ground-engaging element is designated generally at as including a one-piece rodlike element of steel or the like having a ground-penetrating helix 12 formed on a vertical axis AA, a laterally extending leg including an elongated main body 14 that is essentially straight and which terminates in a ground-engaging base 16 which is an extension of the body 14 so as to improve ground-contact area, this base having a terminal extension 18 extending generally upright to receive a tubular post 20 (FIG. 3). In the embodiment depicted mainly in FIGS. 1-3, the overall structure bears some resemblance to that shown in the above-noted Frye US. Pat. No. 3,328,928, but there are basic difierences, as will appear below.

The leg body 14 extends laterally and downwardly from the top of the helix 12, as at a downward or acute angle X to the helix axis, preferably in the order of 70 to 85 This arrangement enables the helix to be screwed into the ground (G-G, FIG. I) farther than previously and without damaging the lawn, etc., because, where the angle is a right angle or more,

the helix tends to dig in and to raise the terminal end of the leg, as the base 16 here; that is to say, in many cases the helix has reached its endi.e., its topwhile the post part 18 is,

say, from its desired position, and the need for turning the anchor another 90 or so drives the helix still further into the ground, whereupon the leg portion adjacent to the helix cuts a circle in the grass. To compensate for this by turning the anchor backwards by 90 or so results only in looseness of the ground connection. According to the present invention, and especially in conjunction with the broad base 16, the above is avoided and the anchor attains a desirable connection with the ground, it being noted that tensional forces applied to the top of a post supported by the anchor are in a direction away from the helix, as suggested by the arrow T in FIG. 3.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the base 16 is a Iooplike lateral extension of the leg body 14 so as to form an open ring or eye 22, preferably of circular configuration fonned about a generally upright axis spaced horizontally from the helix axis AA. This form of the base has at least two characteristics; e.g., itincreases the ground-contact of the base and it effectively adds to the length" of the leg body 14 so as to increase its resilience; that is to say, the extra length involved in forming the loop or eye 22 in effect increases the'length of the leg body without actually making the leg body longer along a straight line. Because of the inherent resiliency in the metal of which the element 10 is constructed, the leg body is capable of yielding not only in bending but in torsion as respects its major axis, and the circular configuration of the ring or eye 22 adds to this function. Additionally, the eye enables easy attachment of ropes, wires, etc.

To further enchance this characteristic, the ring or eye 22 is constructed as at least a portion of a turn of a helix, so that its juncture, as at 24, with the leg body 14 is slightly above the bottom of that part of the leg body from which the ring starts; in effect, the ring in this area is a portion of a coil spring. The significance here is that the post part 18 initially leans slightly from the vertical toward the helix axis AA, so that when the net, as in the case of use of the invention in a volleyball court, is tightened, the poles or posts 20 tend to assume vertical positions and the resiliency in the leg body 14 and base 16 serves to maintain the requisite tightness and at the same time is capable of furnishing the necessary inward yieldability in the event that the net is temporarily overloaded, as when a player lunges into the net. In this situation, several forces are applied to the anchor; e.g., bending, twisting, etc., and the special construction described above adequately accommodates these, while the broad ringlike base 16 maintains normal contact with the ground and thus the base is prevented from digging in, as would be the case where no base at all is provided. Although it is possible to increase the ground contact area at this point by other means, as in the prior art, additional members must be provided, thus increasing the cost and requiring additional efi'ort in adjusting such members properly, whereas in the present case this broad base is builtin."

In that form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-3, the post part 18 includes a hairpin construction, because the part 18 is extended and then bent back upon itself at 26 so as to frictionally receive the post 20 (FIG. 3). The portions 18 and 26 are capable of springing toward and away from each other, to a slight extent when the post 20 is slipped on and to a further extent when the post is bent inwardly (arrow T). The spacing between the lower or terminal portion of the part 26 and the main part 18 is such that considerable deflection is permitted before these portions contact each other. Further, the inside of the lower portion 26 to augment the deflection.

In FIG. 4, the hairpin construction is replaced by one in which the generally upright portion 18 exists alone and carries a bushing 28 over which the post, such as that at 20, may be telescoped. Because this bushing is rotatable on the part 18', cranking of the anchor into the ground, before the post 20 is added, is facilitated.

FIG. 5 shows a construction in which the hairpin construction, in which the part 18 is bent back upon itself at 26 carries a bushing 30 in the fonn of a cap having a closed top 32 and a lower abutment 34 including a weld head or the like that hooks under the lower terminal end of the post part 26 so as to prevent removal of the bushing. This bushing includes lower stop means in the form of an annular flange 36 to provide a stop for the telescopically received post 20. This bushing may be of relativelyheavy gauge steel which slightly compresses the post parts 18 and 26 so as to prevent ovalizing" of the post itself, while yet permitting the parts 18 and 26 to move toward and away from each other when the post is overloaded" as described above.

What is claimed is:

l. A ground anchor, comprising a one-piece rodlike element of steel orthe like having a ground-penetrating helix formed on a vertical axis, a leg having an elongated, generally straight main body extending from the top of the helix at a downward angle in the order of 70 to to the helix axis and further having a'base spaced horizontally from thc'hclix and adapted to rest on the ground, said base being an integral terminal extension of the body bent generally horizontally away from the body to improve ground-contact area. a post-supporting part including a terminal, generally upright extension of the base and a substantially cylindrical bushing carried by the post-supporting part and adapted to receive a post, said bushing having a substantially annular flange adjacent to the base and serving as a stop means for a received post.

=l= II 

1. A ground anchor, comprising a one-piece rodlike element of steel or the like having a ground-penetrating helix formed on a vertical axis, a leg having an elongated, generally straight main body extending from the top of the helix at a downward angle in the order of 70* to 85* to the helix axis and further having a base spaced horizontally from the helix and adapted to rest on the ground, said base being an integral terminal extension of the body bent generally horizontally away from the body to improve ground-contact area, a post-supporting part including a terminal, generally upright extension of the base and a substantially cylindrical bushing carried by the post-supporting part and adapted to receive a post, said bushing having a substantially annular flange adjacent to the base and serving as a stop means for a received post. 